Smithing
by MobBob
Summary: One-Shot: Arya must deliver a message, but gets distracted watching Gendry at the forge and admiring his well toned...talents.


**A/N: I was originally going to call this "Two Guys, One Sword".**

Arya heard the sounds of metal being worked coming from the down below. She yawned. It had been the middle of the night when she was awaken by Tywin and asked to send a message to the blacksmith. The full moon was still clearly visible, providing the only light in the castle. She was going to protest, saying that it was late and even Ben Blackthumb would probably be asleep right now, but no one argued with Tywin Lannister. However, Arya seemed to be wrong. She could hear the roaring of the furnace, and as she got closer, she saw Gendry hitting a sword that was on the anvil with a hammer. Ben had taken him up as an apprentice after Gendry had told him that he had worked for Tobho Mott at King's Landing. Ben was tending to the furnace, making sure it was hot enough for their work. Gendry looked up from the sword and saw Arya. "Hello. What do you need?"

"It's Lord Tywin," said Arya. "He wants me to tell you that-"

"Hold on." Gendry suddenly put his hammer down on the ground and began taking off his shirt to reveal his muscular body. "I hope you don't mind. It's hot in here."

"Yes, it's practically boiling," said Ben as he took off his shirt. He was surprisingly in shape for a man of his age. "Good idea."

Arya nodded her head. "Uh-huh. Definitely hot in here. Very."

Gendry dropped his shirt to the ground. "So what did you want to tell us?"

"Uh...sorry?" said Arya. "Oh right, Tywin's message. Uh...that can wait. You can finish your sword first."

Gendry raised an eyebrow. "Why can't you just tell us it now?"

"I don't want to distract you," said Arya. "Just finish the sword first."

"Okay, if you insist." Gendry picked up his hammer and went back to working on the sword, his sweat glistening. His cheekbones shone in the moonlight. There was stubble growing on his chin. Arya watched as he lifted the hammer over his head with his sculpted arm and brought it down on the heated metal. His muscles rippled as the hammer hit the sword, their contours outlined by the flames from the furnace. The muscles in his arms contracted. Arya bit her lower lip. Her eyes drifted away from his arms, down his chest, and to his stomach. Her eyes widened as she saw his stomach muscles clench every time he brought the hammer down. Meanwhile, Ben was still tending to the fire, taking out the bellows to feed the flames. The breeze created by the bellows blew through Gendry's hair. Eventually he finished the sword and put his hammer back on the floor and turned to Arya. "Alright done. Now, what did Tywin want you to tell us?"

"No you're not," said Arya nervously.

"Excuse me?" said Gendry.

"You're not finished yet," said Arya more insistently than before. "You've still got a lot to do."

"No, I'm pretty sure I'm done," said Gendry, who was looking over the sword to double-check his handiwork. After a thorough look over, he decided that the sword was perfectly fine. "Of course, I've just been apprenticed to a very skilled blacksmith for years. You probably know more about this than I do."

"Let me see." Ben picked up the sword and inspected. "She's right."

"She's right?" said Gendry.

"I'm right?" said Arya. "I mean, I'm right."

Ben put the sword back down on the anvil. "The tip needs a bit more shaping."

"I guess I was a little sloppy with that part." Gendry turned to Arya. "Good catch. Thanks."

"It was my pleasure," said Arya.

"Here, I'll fix the sword. You just hold it steady." Ben got behind Gendry and took the hammer. He put his muscular left arm around Gendry's shoulder and began banging away at the tip of the sword. With each hit, Ben bumped up against Gendry's naked back. He rested his head on Gendry's shoulder and his greying hair brushed against Gendry's. A lock of Gendry's hair strayed in front of Ben's face, which Ben lightly blew out of the way. The two were breathing heavily. Arya couldn't take her eyes off the scene. For some reason she was reminded of a time she saw Ser Loras helping Lord Renly change into his armor. That had elicited similar feelings from her.

Gendry watched his master's progress. "Be gentle. You're going at it too rough."

Ben smiled. "Don't worry boy. This isn't the first sword I've finished. I know what I'm doing."

"I can see that," said Gendry. "Oh you're incredible."

"There. All finished." Ben put the hammer down and walked away from Gendry. He stretched his arms out, giving Arya a good look at his chest. He then went over to the furnace and put the bellows away. He then picked up a bucket of water and extinguished the fire. "I think that's enough work for tonight. We're all caught up now. You can get some rest."

Gendry looked at Arya. "So what...um are you all right?"

"Me? Oh yeah I'm fine," said Arya, who was feeling a bit light-headed to be honest. "So are you two done?"

"Yes," said Gendry as he picked up his shirt. "Nothing more we need to do tonight."

"I see." Arya frowned.

"So what did Tywin want you to tell us?" said Gendry.

"Oh that, right," said Arya. She thought for the moment. "That's not important."

"It's not important?" said Gendry. "Then why did you come here in the middle of the night?"

"I don't know, but I'm glad I did. Good night." Arya quickly ran up the stairs to her bed, as Ben and Gendry gave each other weird looks. She then ran back down. "On second thought, it's really important."

"Okay," said Gendry. "What's so important?"

"He wants you to make swords," said Arya. "Lots and lots of swords. Like right now. Before dawn."

"Are you serious?" said Gendry.

"Yes," said Arya. "What, do you think I want you to be up all night getting all sweaty?"

"No," said Gendry.

Ben sighed and went to rekindle the furnace. "Let's get to it then."

"Alright." Gendry grabbed his hammer. He looked up at Arya. "Um, why are you still here?"

"Are you talking to me?" said Arya.

"Who else would I be talking about?" said Gendry. "You're the only one here, other than Ben."

"Tywin wants me to make sure you do the job right and stuff. I most definitely need to see this." Arya found a box to sit on as she watched the two get back to work. She made sure to place the box on their shirts.


End file.
